Ed Benson Quotations

One of our aims was to encourage a country format station in Manhattan. ... Not having a station there makes it difficult in a lot of ways,

Having the CMA Awards in a venue the size of Madison Square Garden allows us to offer the public a chance to attend this very exclusive event.

We look forward to Joan and Melissa bringing their unique mix of glamour and humor to the CMA Awards Red Carpet as they interview Country Music's biggest stars, ... We are thrilled to have TV Guide Channel share all the excitement leading into 'Country Music's Biggest Night' with their viewers.

Johnny Cash was not only a giant in our business, but he was one of those guys who had grown to become a cultural icon in America. People associated him with values that I think they held near and dear to their hearts.

What's extraordinary about all of these artists is the talent and diversity they bring as performers and musical stylists, ... This is destined to be an incredible night of entertainment.

What the CMA did was bring the awards to the place where the press and the advertising community were rather than try to bring the press and the advertising community to Nashville,

Country Music is thriving on the talent and creativity of an outstanding group of artists and they are well represented with our nominees, ... These talented performers, musicians, songwriters and producers demonstrate the artistic depth and creativity driving the burgeoning growth of our format. It is an exciting time for Country Music and the 2005 CMA Awards will definitely reflect that in November.

Country Music crosses genres and touches people with stories that speak to the heart and performances that touch the human spirit.

Storytelling is at the heart of what we do, ... We both strive to capture and reflect the full range of human emotion, whether it is on a stage or in a song.

A string of tornados hit right at show time. Nashville was down 22 percent. Cincinnati was down 13 percent. There was no increase in Louisville, Ky., and Indianapolis, where we thought we would have gained ground.

The biggest thing that made the difference from last year was the weather system in the middle of the country,

The audience and our viewers are in for a magical experience when two of the most flamboyant and best-loved entertainers in the world take the stage.

There's very little inane banter in this show. It really, truly focuses on the music.

The interest from the artistic community to be involved this year really demonstrates the excitement about the CMA Awards and overall appeal and universal quality of the format,

Alabama brought a new energy and a broader audience to country music in the 1980s, becoming the most successful band in our format's history.